Draft gear



April 1, 1941. Q J U 2,237,171

DRAFT GEAR Filed Dec. 2, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet l WITNESSES: INVENTOR czl/c/f'aez ATTOR April 1, 1941. Q Q L 2,237,171

DRAFT GEAR Filed Dec; 2. 1958 2 She ets-Sheet 2 wrmzssss; l

INVENTOR ATTORNE Patented Apr. l, 1941 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE i l DRAFT GEAn v r can 0. Auel, Irwin, Pa.

Application December 2, 1938, Serial'No. 243,534 I ,5 Claims. 01. 21340) My invention relates to a draft gear, and it has particular relation to' adraft gear for toy or miniature railway vehicles.

One object'of my invention is to providefla draft gear, particularly for toy'or miniature vehicles, that shall be more satisfactory and complete in its functions than those at present on the market. i

Another object of my inventionis to provide a relatively simple draft gear structure embodying resilient means, preferably a single elliptical spring, for performing one or more of the following functions:

(a) Yieldingly restraining the pushing and pulling action of the drawbar.

(b) Centering the drawbar.

(c) Biasing the split parts of the drawbartogether.

A further object of my invention is to provide a draft gear or coupler for toy vehicles which has the general outward appearance and proportions of a conventional type full-size railway coupler or draft gear, but which is split lengthwise into two parts so as to permit it to be automatically coupled inthe conventional fashion-by bumping two vehicles together.

Other objects of my invention will become evident from the followingdetailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which: I

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation, Fig. 2 in bottom plan, and Fig. 3 in top plan" of a draft gear or coupler constructedin accordance-with my present invention;

Fig. 4 and Fig. 5 are views corresponding to Fig. 3 showing the draft gear in various phases of its operation;

Fig. 6, Fig. '7 and Fig. 8 are detailed views of certain of the parts shown in the preceding figures, Fig. 8 being a sectional view taken along the:

line VIII-.-VIII of Fig. '7; 1

Fig. 9 is a view, partially in elevation but mainly in longitudinal section, along the line IX-IX of Fig. 3;'and I Figs. 10 and 11 are top planviewsof parts of draft gear embodying .modifications of .my invention.

Referring to the drawings, the apparatus shown therein comprises a pair of cooperating draftgear or coupler structures, respectively comprising frames or housings land 2, drawbars 3 and 4 and resilient means 5 for cooperating with the drawbars within the frame or housing, as subsequently described. i I

Sincethe separate halvesqof. thedraft gear scribed.

structure are alike, the half shown on the lefthand'side of the figures will be described in detail, and only the differences betweenit and the half shown on the right-handside of the figures will later be pointed out, in order to avoid unnecessary repetition in this specificationf The draft gear structure frame I comprises a boxlike member or receptacle l0 havingto-p side flanges H :provided with apertures l2 to permit securing the apparatus to the underside of a toy railway vehicle or the'like.

' As will be noted fromFigs. 3 and 9, the box or receptacle portion In comprises a recessedpor- ,tion or pocket including an intermediate shelf or ledge I3 and a bottom shelf or ledge M which is centrally located and which merges into a neck I5 which extends toward the right-hand end of theframe I, providing a working opening or bell- 'mouth slot, as indicated by the reference character l6, for the corresponding drawbar 3. Op-

positely disposed'stops [9, located at thebase of neck l5, are provided for a purpose to be de- The ends of the frame on itstop surface are provided with centrally located, longitudinally extendingslots [1- and I8 for the purpose of receiving the ends of the resilient means or spring member'5, as subsequently described.

The drawbar 3 comprises a plurality of longitudinally extending portions'z I and 22 which respectively terminate outside'of frame ["ifL'CQ- operating drawbar head portions-23 and 24.- It

' will be noted that the drawbar heads present the same general outward appearance and proportions as the drawbar heads of couplers on fullsize railway vehicles, the portion 23 ending in a guiding-0r overhanging lip 25 and-having an interlocking or knuckle-portion 21, while the cooperating drawbard includes similar parts '26 and 28-which are reversely-disposed'with'respect to the parts 23 and 24, in'accordance with usual couplerpractice.

.'I-'he drawbar parts 2| and 22 are'split longi- .tudinally along the line2 3,-- and with particular reference to Figs-6,7 and 8,'preferably-integral bearing members comprising oppositely: disposed upper portions 30 and 3| (each' having tail; portions 34) and lower portions'36 and 3-'l constitute the inner ends of the drawbar po-rtions 22 and 2|, respectively. As willbe noted 'fromFig. 8,

the lower portion 3'! is outwardly offset with respectto .the upper portion 30,"-th'e two portions,

however, being preferably integrally related .al-

though this is not necessary. 5 'Ifh lower portion '3Tis semi-cylindrical to provide a rotary bearing The other half of the drawbar 3 is provided at its inner end with similar parts, namely, a-

lower semi-cylindrical portion 36 and an upper offset portion 3| having a flattened surface 33. I

The resilient means 5 is shown as comprising a single elliptical spring having oppositely disposed leaves 4| and 42 extending edgewise longi tudinally of the frame I and having the ends thereof fitted within the slots I1 and H3 in the frame. In order to anchor the spring ends in such slots, the material of the frame immediately adjacent thereto may be prick punched or otherwise distorted, but preferably small integrally cast pins are flattened out, as in a vise, as indicated by the reference characters 43, for this purpose.

It will be noted that the upper bearing portion of the drawbar comprising the flattened parts 30 and 3| is disposed between the opposite leaves of the elliptical spring 5 which tightly grips or bears upon the edges of the flattened portions 32 and 33 under normal conditions, as indicated in Fig. 3. The said bearing portion is thus disposed in the same plane as the elliptical spring 5, while the drawbar portions 2| and 22 are disposed in a lower plane utilizing the deepest part or ledge l4 of the recessed frame I and extending through the end openings I6 thereof. The coupler portions l and 2 are provided with forward and backward stops to prevent undue distortion of spring 5 when the drawbar is pushed or pulled within the recessed portion or pocket of the frame. The rear wall 39 of ledge l4 serves as a back stop and oppositely disposed stops l9 serve as forward stops.

Thus, when the draft gear functions, in addition to the spring effect per se, there is a double friction effect, both effects tending to absorb any operating shocks. This double friction effect is produced by the sliding action of the drawbar in the frame and by the sliding action of the springs on the parts enclosed and gripped thereby.

The cooperating draft gear portion comprising the frame 2 and the drawbar 4 is very similar to the parts previously described, except that the split drawbar parts 48 and 49 and the split 50 between them are longer than the corresponding parts 2| and 22 of the drawbar 3, thus giving a wider lateral swing at the coupler head which is necessary on passenger cars because of their greater overhang at the car ends on curves. Thus coupler is particularly adapted for freight cars and coupler 2 for passenger cars.

Longitudinally extending slots 46 are provided in the box-like portions I of each coupler to permit ready assembly of the corresponding drawbar portions, and brass or other metal bridges 41 are tightly fitted into receiving slots to prevent the drawbars working out of their horizontal planes.

In order to easily and quickly uncouple the drawbar heads from the coupled position shown in Fig. 2, for example, rods 52 and 53 are 'provided with hooked ends which may be hooked around small integrally cast apertured lugs 54 and 55 on the lower side of the respective coupler,

automatically eiTected by simply pushing or bumping the coupler heads together, and the rods 52 and 53 are not needed for this operation.

As a result of the illustrated construction and arrangement of parts, it will be noted that the resilient means or elliptical spring 5 performs three distinct functions as follows:

In the first place, as the toy vehicles to which the respective draft gear portions are attached pass :around a curvein a track, the parts may occupy a position similar to that illustrated in Fig, 4, in which, depending upon the direction of the curve,the drawbar heads extend toward and possibly contact the corresponding faces of the bell mouth slot I6, for example, the split parts, such as 2| and 22, of the drawbar being slightly separated along the split 29, but the knuckle or interlocking portions 21 and 28 maintaining their grip.

It will be noted that the upper bearing portion comprising the parts 30 and 3| and tailpieces 34 has assumed an angular position wherein only diagonally opposite corners are gripped by, and, therefore, spread apart, the leaves 4| and 42 of the elliptical spring 5.

In this way, a relatively great resilient swinging movement of the drawbars is permitted when the vehicles round a curve, which is especially necessary and desirable on toy or miniature railways where the curves are of a much shorter scale radii than are normally used on railroads. However, as soon as the vehicles are again running on a straight portion of the track, the elliptical springs 5, which tend to tightly grip the upper bearing portions in question, immediately cause centering of the drawbars so that they occupy the positions shown in Fig. 3.

The second function of the elliptical spring 5 is with respect to absorbing the thrust or the pushing or pulling action of the drawbars, either during running operation of the train or when the vehicles are bumped together for automatic coupling purposes, or when one coupler head pushes the other without being actually coupled together.

Fig. 5represents the. position of parts during an automatic coupling operation or when one vehicle is caused to push another. It will be noted that the bearing portions of the drawbars 3 and 4 have been pushed toward the outer ends of the elliptical springs 5, thus resiliently restraining the thrust of the drawbars. However, as soon as such thrusting force has been removed, the drawbars will be immediately returned by the gripping action of the elliptical springs'5 to the central positions illustrated in Fig. 3. It will be understood that during a pulling operation, the bearing portions will yieldingly occupy respective positions opposite to those shown in Fig. 5.

The third function of the elliptical spring 5 is to bias the split parts. such as 2| and '22 of the drawbar 3, together. When the' vehicles are rounding a curve, as illustrated in Fig. 4, or during the initial .part of. the automatic coupling opor when thecoupling operation has been vcompleted, the elliptical springs gripping the upper bearing portions cause the split parts to come together and occupy contiguous positions, as shown in Fig, 3.

I It will be seen that I have thus provided a draft gear for toy model or miniature railway vehicles which is capable of performing all of the necess'ary operations, such as providing a spring effect, as well as a sliding friction effect of the draftgear parts, to absorb shocks between vehicles when coupled together or when starting and stopping or when bumps occur to taking up and releasing slack in a train while in operation. In

addition, the drawbars are provided with a selfcentering action to bias the drawbar at all times towards the center of the coupler pocket, so that when the vehicles are not coupled and it is desired to do so, they may be readily coupled together without first taking the trouble to bring the couplers to center position. At the same time, the drawbars are permitted an easy swinging motion from side to side as the vehicle negotiates curves.

All of the functions mentioned are provided through the medium of resilient means, preferably a single elliptical spring, as a result of which a simple and inexpensive structure, which is not liable to get out of order, is provided, and at the same time the overall appearance and proportions of my toy coupler are the same as those of a conventional type full-size railway coupler.

Referring to the modification of my invention shown in Fig. 10, the structure there illustrated comprises a portion of a draft gear frame 51 having an internal pocket 58 with which a drawbar 59 having an enlarged head 60 operates. Drawbar 59 is preferably split, similar to the drawbar shown in previous figures. The enlarged head 69 is provided on opposite sides with flattened portions or faces GI and B2 and with a tailpiece 53 on the side opposing the drawbar body proper.

The frame 51 is provided with lateral extensions 64 and 65, respectively provided with recesses 66 and 61 for housing helical springs 68 and 69 which respectively bear against the outer ends of movable bearing members and II, respectively having contact shoes I2 and 13 for bearing against the flattened faces BI and 62 of the head 60 of the split drawbar 59.

The drawbar 59 is adapted to be pushed or pulled within the pocket 58 and to swing from one side to the other within the limits of slots 14 provided in one side of the frame 51.

Whenever the drawbar 59 is subjected to a push or a pull or a swing to one side or the other, the spring-pressed bearing members 10 and II tend to center the drawbar to the position illustrated and to resiliently cushion any backward or forward sliding movement of the head 60 between the shoes 12 and 13 as the drawbar is pushed or pulled and to bias the two cooperating parts of the split drawbar together.

Thus the resilient members or springs 68 and 69 serve a triple function with respect to the drawbar 59.

The second modification of my invention shown in Fig. 11 comprises a frame 16 within which a drawbar ll having an enlarged head 18 operates. Drawbar 11 is preferably of the split type as -In lieu'.;of,- the previouslyv illustrated showninprevious figures. Opposing faces I9 and 8010f the head 18 are flattened and a tailpiece 8l isalso provided-on-Jthe drawbar. V. .metal springs employed in .theother formsz-of my. in-

vention, in thiscase ablock of suitable liverub- :ber;82;is=disposedwithin a pocket83 in the frame 16. This block of rubber may be either cast in place around the drawbar when in its illustrated central position or a recess corresponding exactly to the outline of the split drawbar head 18 and the adjacent parts of the drawbar may be cut out of a preformed rubber block and the drawbar parts disposed in said recess.

A wide mouth slot 84 is provided'at one end of the frame 16 to permit swinging movement of the drawbar 11. a

In this form of my invention, whenever the drawbar 11 is pushed or pulled or swung to one side or the other, the resiliency of the rubber block 82 gripping the drawbar head 18 biases the drawbar to its illustrated central position after it is swung away therefrom, also resiliently cushions any forward or backward sliding movement of the drawbar when it is pushed or pulled, and further biases the split parts thereof together, as will be understood.

I donot wish to be restricted to the specific structural details or arrangement of parts set forth herein, as various modifications thereof may be effected without departing from the spirit and scope of my invention. I desire, therefore, that only such limitations shall be imposed thereon as are indicated in the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. A draft gear having a frame, a drawbar movably disposed therein for bodilymoveirient,v

said drawbar being longitudinally split, the split parts being pivotally related to provide joint spreading movement thereof laterally with respect to said bodily movement, and a single resilient structure supported at its ends in said frame and having anintermediate portion adapted to engage a portion of said drawbar for restraining both of said movements.

2. A draft gear having a frame, a drawbar movably disposed therein and having a substantially vertical projection projecting above the main horizontal plane of the drawbar with op-' posite flattened portions, and elliptical spring means mounted in said frame and having its opposite leaves extending in the same general direction as said flattened portions and engaging only the edges thereof.

3. A draft gear having a frame, a drawbar movably disposed therein for longitudinal movement,

said drawbar being longitudinally split, the split parts being pivotally related,,and elliptical spring means supported at its ends in said frame and having its opposite leaves enclosing and engaging certain portions of said split parts for biasing said parts together and also yieldingly restraining longitudinal movement of the drawbar in either a pushing or a pulling direction,

4. A draft gear having a frame, a drawbar movably disposed therein for both longitudinal and swinging movements, said drawbar being longitudinally split, the split parts being pivotally related, and elliptical spring means supported at its ends in said frame and having its opposite leaves enclosing and engaging certain portions of said split parts for centering said drawbar, in addition biasing said parts together and also yieldingly restraining a longitudinal movement of said drawbar.

5. A draft gear having a frame, a drawbar movsaid split parts for centering said drawbar after ably disposed therein for both longitudinal and a swinging movement thereof, in addition biasing swinging movements, said drawbar being longisaid parts together and also yieldingly restraining tudinally split, the split parts being pivotally rethe longitudinal movement of said drawbar in lated, and elliptical spring means supported at 5 either a pushing or a pulling direction. its ends in said frame and having its opposite leaves enclosing and engaging certain portions of Y CARL C. AUEL. 

